Ev 1385

[saladdodger]

15d Renewed supply from vineyard filling retail complex (9) ????????L
2d US playhouse losing top conductor (6) ?E?T??
4d Old tape of phone calls removed from case (5) ?N?L?

[Neveracrossword]

2 Inkle, old tape - from T inkle s, phone calls.

2 Heater, conductor, from Theater, US playhouse.

[Neveracrossword]

15 Recruital- anagram of Retail and Cru

[saladdodger]

Many thanks ...they should get me moving again!

[Ruthrobin]

I don't see how we can have only real words in the final grid. Are we adding a lot of bars or in some way interpreting the winning formula to change across entries? We have seen how it adjusts five down entries.

[Captain2]

I'm not doing the crossword but have had a look at it on line; I can't see any preamble to indicate a non-standard form of entry on certain clues. Are you sure you aren't referring to The Listener, Ruth?

[ProfessorMaisie]

The preamble mentions adjustments to all across clues Captain2, and these adjustments generally result in non-words.

I'm puzzled by that final sentence too Ruthrobin, 'The final grid contains all real words...'. How can it be possible? It doesn't even suggest the possibility of a simple typo - the statement is very precise.
The title suggests we might be missing something - 'Winning Formula' is rather a loose interpretation of the phrase we have to discover.

Is there nothing on the EV site to suggest an error?

[DocHH]

Personally I think the rubric is misleading. I think it should indicate that only down grid entries contains real words. We are not asked to shuffle or add bars so that the final grid contains only real words.

[Captain2]

Apologies, I was working off what I could see on-line, ie

https://crosswords-static.guim.co.uk/obs.everyman.20190602.pdf

which doesn't appear to have a Preamble

[Toorak]

It’s not the Everyman captain

[ProfessorMaisie]

That would mean an oversight of at least three words in the preamble DocHH - rather a lot even for the EV!

[DocHH]

I have e-mailed the EV Editor, and had a reply from him. His response was.

Thanks for your query in this puzzle. Having read the preamble and checked the solution grid, I believe that only down entries are real words. I hope that helps.

[ProfessorMaisie]

That was a speedy resolution, thanks DocHH.

[DocHH]

No problem Prof! As long as it doesn't give the game away, or solve any specific clues he is very helpful, do not hesitate to ask him.

[ProfessorMaisie]

I'm purely newspaper+pen DocHH, I haven't got the necessary online access.

[devadolly]

How great to see a couple of the 'old gang' of contributors on this site, hello DocHH & RuthRobin, how are you?
As ever I am floundering in my usual sea of mud, though the reply received from the EV torturer does make it all a bit clearer. Am presuming that all the across clues end up as a confusing mass of gobble-de-gook. Await instruction as to what to do with the 5 (as yet undefined) down clues.

[DocHH]

Prof, like you, I am paper and pencil, but not confident enough to use pen and do not solve than on-line! Underneath the paper grid is the EV Editors' e-mal address.

Yes devadolly, all is well here with your Loughborough Alumnus! Your across entries will be as you suggest, gobble-de-gook, but just the correct grid enties but minus the missing letters. Those missing letters in order instruct you how to modify 5 down answers.
How are you and himself enjoying retirement?

[Ruthrobin]

DocHH - most grateful for that input. It did seem that there had to be an error. Good to be back briefly Devadolly and see old friends.

[ProfessorMaisie]

That could come in handy, thanks again DocHH.

[devadolly]

All the posts have made it all a lot clearer as to what is required but, I really am not on ProXimal's wavelength and am having trouble parsing the clues I have, eg. the answer I have for 17a with the letters removed still makes a word plus 1a & 11a I think I have the answer to but bits of the wordplay don't seem to add up.

Now, All please forgive the chatter but.............
We are getting used to the idea of retirement DocHH but it is rather sad sitting on a dead farm with empty sheds. Really don't miss the responsibility and worry of a few 100 animals, nor the flies and the rest. Do miss having a tractor & trailer at times and having to 'pop next door' for some muck for the garden is strange.
Ginger Mog is now an 'old boy' of about 15 we think, he is now very half-hearted about his rodent control and prefers his cushion next to the radiator. Sadly K-D our last work dog died last year as is very much missed, other than that we plod on in something of a limbo, although Himself has taken up painting and photographing flowers when he is not falling off his bike!
Do hope you & Herself are well.

[Neveracrossword]

Devadolly, 17 A just happens to end up a real word - some others don't. The 'gun parts' are two letters longer than your entry, the removed letters aren't given by wordplay. 11 across is 'writer' first, with a letter removed, then a usual crossword 'head'.